Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-05-13
A BLIND MURDERER.
ChaS. x. Gaines Convicted in
the Second Degree.

Chas. x. Gaines Convicted in
the Second Degree.
TIFFiN, O., May 5-A remarkable
trial closed here this evening in the
conviction of Charles K. Gaines,
blind man, for murder in the second
degree, probably the only case of the
kind on record Gaines took the
verdict very hard and, pressing his
hat to his face as though to wipe
tears fron the eyeless sockets be
broke down completely. His wife
showed no sign of emotion beyond
turning pale. Unless new trial is
granted, which is not probable, Gaines
will be sentenced to the penitentiary
for life tomorrow. A nephew, Ma
than Echelbery, is now serving out a
life sentence in the penitentiary for
the same crime.
Ills YOUTH.
Charles K. Gaines was born in
Sycamore, Wyaudot county, fifty
years ago. At the age of four years
he one day wandered from the door
yard to the barn, where his attention
was attracted by litter of pigs
These Struck his fancy and he at once
appropriated one, and this so enraged
its mother that she rushed at him,
and before his screams could attract
help, the enraged brute had eaten out
his eyes. The child was rescued and
recovered, though his eyeballs were
ep i. ly gone. In few years he had
developed remarkable sensitiveness
OF touch, smell aud hearing He had
a strong tendency to precociousness,
and before be had grown up became
the terror of the neighborhood. He
would wander about night and day
without a guide, and was never
known to get lost, He knew where
every melon-patch was, where the
best apples, peaches or plums grew,
and where the first berries ripened,
ard was never backward about help
ing himself to these or any other del
icacies
While yet hoy he was presented
with pair of game chickens by an
old minister named Spofford, who re-
sided at Sycamore. The blind boy
took great interest in these chickens
and raised more 1t was not long
till he had several game cocks trained
for fighting, and would take them
about the country to pit against
others. He would bet on his favor
ite and nobody could fool him about
the result. Standing among the
crowd he always knew whether his
chickens were getting the worst or
the best of the fight.
TIE CRIME.
AS he grew to manhood he learned
to drink whiskey, and became ugly
and quarrelsome. In 1871 ne mar
ried Medora Sprague, graduate of
Tiflin High School. For time he
was sober and Industrious Presby-
terians got hold of him, he joined the
church and make many eloquent tenn
perance speeches, greatly moving
his audience. Many are the strange
things he has done. The writer has
seen him On steep roof mailing on
shingles and working as well and as
fast as the next man He could find
his way with perfect ease anywhere,
could recognize an acquaintance at
some distance before he spoke, rode
horseback recklessly and played the
violin dnely.
His career as temperance advo-
cate was short, for he soon went back
to drinking and abusing his wife and
children.
The climax was reached last Au.
gust, when he went on the protract-
ed spree and his wife ordered the
saloonkeeper not to sell him any Ii
quor. The next day, April 10, Gaines
and his nephew, Nathan Echelbcry,
got drunk on hard cider and then
went to the saloon and demanded
whiskey Failing to get it they left
and tried to borrow revolver, but
could not get one They then return
ed to the saloon, each with large
stone, and again being refused whis-
key they killed the saloonkeeper with
the stones, The police arrested
Gaines in the cane field, and he was
brought in hatless, coatless, shoeless
and eyelcss, with long hair hanging
over his shoulders, and six feet tall
he looked like wild man. For
eight months he has sat in jail anus
ing himself with his violin. His
nephew and accomplce was sent to
the penitentiary for lite,